With a cotton module builder or packager on a cotton harvesting machine, parameters of the module building or packaging process, such as, but not limited to, the distribution of cotton within the module building chamber, the number of packing positions, and the number of compacting strokes, are all critical factors in forming a good rectangular module of compacted cotton that can be unloaded onto the ground as a stand alone module of cotton, and subsequently handled for transportation to the gin for processing. Steps of such module building or packaging processes are typically performed while harvesting cotton. As a result, it is preferred that such steps be conducted automatically, without requiring operator input or attention. If operation of the packager must be stopped, for instance, as a result of a fault or failure condition involving one or more sensors of the packager, or the compactor operates erratically, the harvesting operation will likely have to be stopped, resulting in costly downtime.
As is known, the distribution of the cotton within the module chamber is typically accomplished using augers attached to a compactor frame of a compactor movable upwardly and downwardly in the chamber. As cotton is being harvested and conveyed into the chamber, the augers are operated in a forward and/or a reverse direction for distributing the cotton in the chamber under the compactor. At times, the compactor is stroked or moved downwardly against the collected cotton, to compact it in the bottom of the chamber. A number of compacting positions are used to index or move the location of the compactor up within the chamber as the module is built from the bottom up. This ensures that there is space under the compactor in which to distribute the cotton.
The length of time that the augers run in the different directions, the number of compacting positions, and the number of compaction strokes before moving or indexing the compactor to the next position, are typically determined dependent upon input values for an electronic compaction program run by the compactor controller, these values being determined based on factors that typically include time, auger pressure, compactor pressure, level and distribution of cotton within the chamber, and the amount of cotton entering the chamber. The amount of cotton entering the chamber can vary as a result, for instance, of yield conditions, which, can vary even over a single cotton field. The amount of time the augers run forward and the amount of time they run rearward, the number of compactor positions and compacting strokes will usually be different for the different yield conditions, as well as other conditions, and will influence the distribution of cotton within the chamber.
The determinations by the compactor controller of the necessary duration and directions of auger operation, and whether movement to a new indexing position is necessary, are preferably automatically made, at least in part, based upon information as to the existing overall level and distribution of cotton within the chamber. This information is gathered from sensors, typically including compactor position sensors, a compactor pressure sensor, and auger pressure sensors. The compactor is preferably pivotable, and typically, two compactor position sensors are used, one for determining a position or height near a forward end of the compactor, and one near the rear end. Tilt is typically determined as a function of differences between the sensed positions, and is indicative of a higher level of cotton in the chamber adjacent to one end thereof. One or more compactor pressure sensors can be used to determine the extent to which the cotton is being compacted during the compacting strokes. One or more auger pressure sensors can be used for determining if cotton is accumulated to a greater extent toward one end of the chamber to thereby indicate need for reversal of auger direction, and for determining when compaction or indexing the compactor position is required.
As a result, in the event of a failure or faulty output or operation of one or more of the sensors, including of a conductive path connecting the sensor to the compactor controller for carrying sensor outputs to the controller, the information set for determining the next step of the compacting process will be incomplete. This can occur continuously, or in an erratic manner. In response, the controller can automatically shut down, or be shut down by the operator, but this will result in lost productivity as noted above, and is thus undesirable.
Thus, what is sought is an alternative to shut down of the compacting process when one or more sensor outputs is faulty or indicative of failure of the sensor or conductive path connecting the sensor to the controller.